Cushion-heel for boots and shoes.



M. RIECKMANN.

CUSHlON HEEL FOR BOOTS AND SHOES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 18. I917.

1,231,299" Patent-edJune 26,1917.

VV/TNESS [.V VENTOR.

A TTORN/Q'.

Max ainokmaim, or SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

CUSHION-HEEL FOR BOOTS AND SHOES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 26 191?.

Application filed January 18, 1917. Serial No. 143.168.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAX RmoKMANN, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hamp- 5 den and State of Massachusetts, United States of America, have invented a new and useful Cushion-Heel for Boots and Shoes,

of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in safety or antislip, cushion .heels for boots and shoes, and resides in a grooved and recessed heel of resilient or elastic material, such as rubber, with a filling of yielding material, such as felt, in the grooves, and an insert of resilient or elastic material, such as rubber of perhaps a different or better grade than that which comprises the major portion or body of the heel, in the recess, the latter being so located that said insert is positioned where it will receive the hardest wear, all as hereinafter set forth.

It is well known that a smooth rubber heel,under the weight of the body of the wearer of'the boot or shoe of which such heel forms a part, is as liable to slip on ice or other smooth or slippery surfaces as is a leather heel, and, furthermore, that indenting, checking, or otherwise breaking up the wearing surface of a rubber heel, in the customary manner, is of little or no avail, because the projections thus formed not only wear away soon, leaving Said surface smooth and dangerous, but such projections are .too small and weak to provide a good gripping or anti-slipping medium even when they are in their original condition. Fairly broad gripping surfaces, separated by reasonably wide and deep grooves, are required in order to obtain the desired results, but such grooves must be filled to exclude dirt and other foreign substances, and this without materially interfering with the cushion action of the elastic body of the heel, or with the action of such body in resisting and overcoming any tendency to slip. A principal object of my invention is, therefore, to produce a non-slipping cushion heel that is safe, durable, and possesses the characteristics and qualifications of the ordinary rubber heel.

A further object is to provide such a heel which can be easily and quickly attached to the leather heel.

Still another object is to afford, in a heel of this type, means to increase or prolong the life of the heel. To this end a wearing element that canbe readily removed and re placed by a new one is introduced into the construction of the heel.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the course of the following description.

I attain the objects and secure the advantages of my invention by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan of a heel which embodies a practical form of my invention; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section through said heel, taken on lines 22, in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a similar section, on lines 33, Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a transverse section through the heel, taken on lines 4-4, looking in the direction of the associated arrow, in Fig. 1; Fig. 5, a section similar to the last, on lines 5-5, looking in the direction of the associated arrow, Fig. 1, and Fig. 6, a plan of a heel which embodies a slightly modified form of the invention.

. Similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout the Several views.

In the sectional views the new heel is represented as being attached to a leather heel, it being understood that the latter consists of a less number of lifts than would be the case if the aforesaid new heel were not used, and that said new heel, or the antisli cushion heel, is really a thick lift applie to the leather lifts to make up the complete heel of the boot or shoe. There are then a leather portion and a rubber cushion portion of the heel as a whole,'but each of these portions may be and is referred to as a heel. The leather heel is indicated by the numeral 1, andthe body of the cushion heel by the numeral 7. The body 7 is of the proper shape and size to fit the heel 1.

The body 7 consists of a thick piece of elastic material, rubber being the only suitable material now known, which is designed to fit the bottom of the leather heel 1, and has therein a plurality of grooves or channels 8 and a recess 9 opening through the under side of said body, the sides of such grooves and recess being undercut as indicated at 10 and 11, respectively. The number, arrangement, and positions of the channels 8 and the position of the recess 9 may Vary, but it is preferred that the former be located in the middle and forward portions of the body 7, and arranged in angular relationship to each other, and that the latter be located in the rear portion of said body,

either centrally as shown in Fig. 1, or 011 of center as shown in Fig. 6. The channels 8 divide the bottom of the body 7 into a plurality of gripping tread surfaces 12. A plurality of vertical holes 13 are provided in the body 7 such holes being so located that they open from above into the channels 8 and the recess 9. These holes are for rivets 14, or equivalent members, by means of which the cushion heel or the body 7 is secured to the leather heel 1.

A filling 15 is inserted in the channels 8 and a plug or insert 16 is inserted in the recess 9, both elements either having tapering sides to fit the undercut sides 10 and 11, respectively, or being of such a nature that they spread to fit said undercut sides, whereby said elements are held in place.

The filling 15 is for the purpose of exeluding .foreign substances from the channels 8, and may consist of any material suitable for that purpose, although preferably a spongy, cellular, or fibrous material, such as felt is used. Felt or similar material is used for the filling 15, because it yields freely under pressure, as does the rubber body 7, but not being dense like rubber the normal action of the rubber is not interfered with by the felt. The filling 15, if made of felt or similar material, is generally cut in one piece and pressed into the channels 8, such material then spreading to fill the wider upper portions of said channels and so preventing the filling from working downward out of said channels. The angular portions of the filling 15 hold said filling in place so that it can not escape from the channels 8 when they have open ends, as in the presentcase.

In the first view a portion of the filling 15 is removed to show a part of one of the channels 8 and one of the holes 13 in full.

The insert 16 is preferably made of rubber of a different grade from that of the rubber of the body 7 the grade of the insert rubber being superior in wearing quality to that of the body rubber. And the insert 16 should project a little at the bottom beyond the bottom of the body 7. This insert enhances the cushioning effect of the heel, and when worn sufiiciently can be removed and replaced by another insert. To facilitate the removal of the insert16 from the recess 9, a vertical hole or passage 17 is provided in the center of said insert, so that a suitable implement can be introduced and said insert withdrawn from said recess. The insert 16, being of the required shape and size, is pressed into the recess 9, wherein the sides of said insert expand and fill the wider or larger upper portion of said recess and so revent the insert from coming out, unless orcibly extracted in the manner above explained.

The cushion heel shown in the last view is intended to be applied to the shoe of a person who runs his heel over, on one side, the insert 16 being therein located in such a position that it receives the initial impact imparted to the heel worn by such a person. The Fig. 6 heel is for the right shoe of a person who runs over-on that side. A heel for the left shoe of a person who runs over on the left side will have the insert 16 correspondingly placed. The cushion heel shown in the other views is for the shoe of a person whose step is quitenormal and where the initial impact is on the central rear portion of the heel.

' The exposed .or under surface of the insert 16 is a gripping surface and augments the gripping surfaces 12 of the body 7. These gripping surfaces yield under the weight of the person, suchyielding of the surfaces 12 not being interfered with materially .if at all by the comparatively soft and compressible filling 15, spread slightly, and grip as it were the surface beneath with sufiicient force or tenacity to prevent slipping. The gripping surfacesishould be sufiicient in number, of course, to provide all the resistance to the slipping tendency that is necessary, and. so insure the safety of the heel.

, From the foregoing it is plainly to be seen that I obtain, in my cushion heel, both safety and durability or'increased wearing and lasting qualities, in addition to the elasticity common to the ordinary, plain rubber heel. And even the elasticity or liveliness of this heel is enhanced and of a superior character to that of the old heel.

Various modifications and changes may be made in the shape, size, construction, and material of my heel and its parts, besides those hereinbefore specifically mentioned, without departingfrom the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. As an improved article of manufacture, a cushion heel comprising a yielding body having cross channels therein to divide the tread thereof into a plurality of gripping surfaces, and filling material in said channels, such filling material being substantially non-resistant to the compressibility of said gripping surfaces.

2. As an improved 'article of manufacture, a cushion heel comprising an elastic body having channels therein to divide the tread thereof into a plurality of gripping surfaces, and filling material in said channels, such filling material being substantially non-resistant to the compressibility of said gripping surfaces.

3. As an improved article of manufacture, a cushion heel comprising a yielding body having therein cross channels, which open through the front and side edges thereof, and divide the tread of said body into a plurality of gripping surfaces, and filling sides, and filling material in such channels, 10 material in said channels, such filling matesuch filling material being substantially rial being substantially non-resistant to the non-resistant to the compressibility of said compressibility of said gripping surfaces. gripping surfaces.

5% 4. As an improved article of manufacture, a cushion heel comprising a yielding X RIECKMANN' body having channels therein to divide the Witnesses: tread thereof into a plurality of gripping F. A. CUTTER,

surfaces, such channels having undercut A. C. FAIRBANKS. 

